Spiffy:

Iffy:

Character models could still use some work; is the enemy AI too easy?

I was an avid watcher of "The Electric Company" in the late 70s and early 80s, and my favorite segment on the show was always the live-action Spider-Man. After watching the show, I would always go outside in my Spidey Underoos (remember those, kids?) and practice swinging off of my roof and into my sandbox. I figured that it was my civic duty to stay in shape, just in case Doc Ock or the Green Goblin ever did in my beloved webhead.

Well, now I'll finally be able to get a chance to do some real swinging with the release of Spider-Man 2, the new title from Activision that's based on the upcoming sequel to the 2002 blockbuster movie "Spider-Man". The plot of the game basically follows the storyline of the movie, as everyone's favorite wall crawler must protect New York City, as well as his precious Mary Jane, from the metallic tentacles of the nefarious Otto Octavius, otherwise known as Doctor Octopus.

Eat your heart out, Prince of Persia!

At a recent press event on a wind-swept rooftop in downtown San Francisco, we finally got a little bit of hands-on time with Spider-Man 2, and I was most impressed by the sheer size of the game world. The game's developer, Treyarch, has painstakingly recreated nearly all of downtown Manhattan, and, as Spidey, it becomes your personal playground. Since it's a so-called "sandbox" game, there is no linear level progression in Spider-Man 2, so you're able to explore the city in whatever fashion you'd like. If you feel like stopping a crime or helping someone out, just talk to the people on the street, and they'll tell you what needs to be done.

The best way to find these people is by using the innovative new map system. When you go to the map menu, you're given an overhead 3D view of the city, and everything that is currently going on in the game world is represented in real time. The first time I opened the map, I was amazed by how much was actually going on around me. Within just a few blocks, there were citizens in trouble, money-making opportunities, upgrade stores, and missions to advance the plot. Unlike the last game, however, Spider-Man can complete these different types of missions in any order he chooses, which makes the game feel much more realistic.

Jerry shows off the latest Spider-Man themed headwear.

As I mentioned, there are a few different types of missions to choose from. The first type are story missions, which must be completed to finish the game. These range from stopping bank robbers to battling Doc Ock high above the streets of the city. The second type of mission I tried were money-makers. As a way to earn a little bit of extra money, Peter takes a job as a pizza delivery boy. Ditching the scooter for his trusty web shooters, Spidey must deliver the pizzas all over the map in a short period of time.

Time plays a big part in the Mary Jane missions as well, as you must rush to meet MJ at a play, or to get her a gift before your big date. Finally, there are also a lot of heroic missions that come up simply by talking to people on the street. In one of these quests, I had to chase down a purse-snatcher, beat him to a pulp, and return the bag to a sweet little old lady. From what I could see of the map, there were a lot of these missions, more than enough to keep a wall crawler busy for many hours.